The Secret World of Sari
by AuroraFox
Summary: Inspired by The Secret World of Arrietty. Sari is a Borrower, part of a race of tiny people that live in homes and aren't supposed to be seen. When she's spotted one night, she might discover a few friends. Includes Transformers as humans and AU.
1. Sweet as Honey

In the middle of a stormy night, a young boy lay asleep curled up under his covers. His ears were deaf to the sounds of the thunder and rain. His short golden-blond bangs hung over his forehead as he slept. Only the noise of the grandfather clock and his snoring filled the room.  
>Unknown to him, there was someone coming dangerously closer.<p>

"Where is that tissue paper?" A quiet female questioned herself. The voice belonged to a young girl. Her name was Sari. Sari Sumdac was a Borrower, part of a race that's only a few inches tall. They only come out of their hiding places to borrow goods they need, like food, fuel, and other necessities from larger beings like humans. Sari, being the only daughter, was assigned to get some tissue paper while her father recovered in bed. He pleaded with her to wait but they needed some medicine and tissues. There really wasn't any other option.

Sari didn't mind. She loved to explore, especially when she was being sneaky. With a little grin, she crossed the floor toward the bedside table, making sure that she didn't accidentally step on a creaky floorboard. But by how deeply the snoring sounded, Sari didn't feel worried.

As she approached the wooden nightstand, Sari took out some pieces of double sided tape. She stuck them to her hands and feet before slipping off the paper. With a smirk, she began to climb up the side of the dresser, proud of her working invention. As she climbed, she was only able to see the boy's body that was under the sheets. He really was a big guy if that was just his legs. A part of her wished she could just talk to him but there was always a possibility he would attack her or kill her by hitting her.

Finally reaching the top after several steps, Sari slipped off the tape and put it in her satchel. Quickly, she moved over behind the tissue box in case some more humans came in. Luckily for her, she was still by herself and the sleeping boy. Sari stole a look at him and smirked. His hair reminded her of the honey she would occasionally borrow. She turned away and focused on getting the tissue paper. Lifting herself onto the tissue box, Sari headed toward a tissue. Sari began to yank at it as hard as she could.  
>"Urrgh…! Stupid…paper…!" She muttered, trying to free it from the box. In her struggle, she didn't notice the boy begin to stir.<p>

His eyes slowly began to open, stirring from his dream. As he began to sit up, he showed that he was wearing a large yellow shirt with a black stripe down the side with a red symbol in the middle. Sari didn't notice he was up until she heard his large wide yawn. She jumped off the tissue box and ran behind the lamp on the nightstand, wondering if she was seen.

Looking over toward his tissue box, the boy raised an eyebrow, seeing that the tissue was slightly ripped and was pulled out of the box more than usual. He reached down and picked up the box, wondering if mice got to it or if he was just imagining things.

Sari stared up at the boy, noticing how bright blue his eyes were. They were much different than what her father described to her. They were large, curious, and kind, even if they were a little tired and slightly bloodshot. And even though he was so much bigger than her, he looked over the tissue box gently and without shaking it. Maybe he was as gentle on the inside as he appeared on the outside? Sari didn't want to risk it though and took a small step backward.

Figuring he was imagining things, the boy set the tissue box back down and looked over toward his lamp. He smirked. Once again, he fell asleep with his light on again. Reaching over to turn it off, the boy saw something move out of the corner of his eye. Sari gulped. His eyes were directed on her. As they did, they began to widen.

"Whoa…I really must be dreaming…" He whispered, moving a hand to his arm, pinching it enough to make him yelp, which made Sari laugh unconsciously. She stopped herself when the boy stared at her.

"Who…are you…?" He asked, partly curious but also partly embarrassed. He had no idea how long she was in his bedroom. From what his friends have told him, he sleep talked. If she heard him, heaven knew she could tell someone else. However, the girl didn't move forward. She only backed away in fear.

"Wait!" He yelled, making her gasp in fear and move away. The boy frowned. He forgot she was so tiny. "Sorry…I don't want you to go." He said quieter, smiling a little. Still, the girl refused to move, only trying to conceal herself again.

"Will you please come out?" He asked, moving to lie down on his bed, setting his chin on his arms. He didn't want his towering body to scare her. At the motion, Sari began to step out a little more, glad that she wasn't being intimidated by his size. Sari was still wary of him but maybe if she convinced him that this was a dream, he'd forget this whole ordeal. But her heart was beating too quickly for her to be calm about it. With a few baby steps, she walked out from her hiding place for him to see her.

Sari watched as his eyes were fixed on her, pretty surprised to see her. "Wow…" He whispered, almost reaching for her to see if she was real. Thankfully, he thought better of it and kept his hand away. He barely persuaded her to stay. If he reached for her, he might scare her off.

Sari merely looked down at her dress, feeling awkward at the whole situation. Neither of them spoke a word until thankfully, the boy broke the silence.

"So what's your name?" He asked, his curiosity getting to him. "My friends call me Bumblebee." At that, he smiled, making Sari calm down a little. She had to admit that his small stature and innocent face made him seem less like a threat.

"I'm Sari." She answered.

"Oh don't be. I like my name." Sari giggled, making Bumblebee raise an eyebrow.

"No, my name is Sari. S-a-r-i." Bumblebee saw his mistake and laughed a little.

"Well I'm sorry I thought you were sorry Sari." He grinned. They both started to laugh at the bad joke until Bumblebee started coughing, turning to the side and covering his mouth so he wouldn't scare Sari.

"Are you okay?" Her small voice called up. Bumblebee couldn't answer. He merely held up a finger, asking her to wait a second, before coughing some more and clearing his throat.

"It's just a cold. Ratchet and Prowl have been telling me to take some medication and sleep it off." He said, moving to lie down on his back, his head on the pillow. Sari frowned. So there were more? What if one of them trapped her and tried to hurt her dad next? She shivered at the thought. Bumblebee noticed this and turned to her, a little worried.

"You aren't too cold are you? Do you need something to keep you warm?" He asked rather quickly. Sari smiled at his concern but shook her head.

"No but I need some things for my dad. He's sick too." Sari explained. Bumblebee's eyes widened.

"You mean there's more of you?" He inquired smiling. Sari froze, wondering if she should've said anything.

"Well...just me and my dad." She admitted. Bumblebee nodded and looked to the tissue box, knowing now that's what she was after. He reached for a sheet and picked one up, tearing it into strips to it was easier for her to carry. Folding them into squares, he set them in his hand near his fingertips and handed them to her, surprising her a little.

"Go ahead and have as many as you want." He said. "I hope your dad gets better soon." It was so strange for Sari, thinking that most humans didn't want to help or accused her of being a thief. This boy Bumblebee was so nice and kind, even if he pried too much for her liking. She took the Borrower-sized tissues and put them in her satchel.

"Thanks." She said, turning to leave.

"Wait." Bumblebee said again, this time minding his volume. Sari turned back to him.

"Mind if I talk to you again tomorrow?" He asked, his blue eyes pleading. Sari frowned, knowing this was a bad idea but she could hear Bumblebee's loneliness. He didn't like being stuck in bed. Thinking it wouldn't hurt anyone, Sari nodded.

"Alright but you have to keep this a secret." She said. "You can't tell anyone else about me. As Borrowers, we're not supposed to be seen. If my father finds out or if you say anything to anyone else, we'll have to move."

Bumblebee realized the seriousness of the consequences. He made a motion with his fingers to zip his mouth closed and throw away the key. Sari giggled again as Bumblebee slowly lay back down on the bed.

"I like it when you laugh." He admitted, slowly closing his eyes again. Sari's face reddened as she looked over to Bumblebee. His breathing was growing deeper already. Guess his cold wore him out. By the time she crept back toward the small hole in the wooden floor where she came in, Bumblebee was snoring away as if nothing had happened.

"Pleasant dreams big guy..." Sari whispered. Bumblebee, huh? His name fit his hair and shirt. Not only that, he was sweet, like the honey that bees made.

* * *

><p><strong>Here's my first attempt at a Transformers fanfiction. Leave a review or comment please so I can improve on later chapters! ^^<strong>


	2. Spoonful of Sugar

Sari smiled as she saw her father was doing better. Color was starting to come back into his face. After leaving him to rest, Sari figured she should explore a little. Equipping herself with her hook, light, and sticky tape in case she needed to climb, Sari headed into the complex internal tunnels of the wall. After crossing a gap with nails for steps, and climbing up a staircase made out of a ruler, Sari soon found herself on the inside of the kitchen cabinet.

"Let's see…plates…cups…Aha!" A thunderous voice said before reaching toward the bowl Sari was standing behind. Thinking quickly, Sari moved out of the hand's way and thankfully wasn't seen. She hid behind the wooden paneling as the loud footsteps moved away. Sari knew from the voice that it wasn't Bumblebee. It must've been someone else.

"I bet he's going to like this!" The voice spoke again. Sari peered around the corner and saw a rather large human. He was much bigger than Bumblebee. He wore a deep green shirt with a black sweater underneath and worn out denim jeans that showed signs of wear and tear. His hair was a light brown and cut like a soldier in the army. Even so, his face was rounded, making him look like a complete softie compared to his rugged exterior.

"Let's see…I got the chicken, celery, broth, and noodles. What else did that recipe call for?" He asked himself. Suddenly, he remembered. "Carrots! I almost forgot!" Before he could turn to the fridge, another being seemed to appear out of nowhere, handing him the carrots.

"Heh…thanks Prowl." He said, a little embarrassed that he forgot the ingredient.

Sari rubbed her eyes, wondering when exactly he came in. She didn't even notice. The one named Prowl was wearing rimless glasses and was wearing mostly black. He wore a thin turtleneck sweater and dark jeans. His short black hair framed his narrow face, giving him an all-business look.

"Just be mindful next time Bulkhead." Prowl answered, adjusting his glasses a bit. "So you're making that soup for Bumblebee?"

"Yep! I figured he needed something since he hasn't eaten at all today." Bulkhead said, rinsing the carrots off. "Sorry I made such a mess…" It could be taken as an understatement. There were used knives all over the counter and cutting boards with remains of unused food. Prowl frowned.

"Well it's nothing that can't be cleaned." He said, picking up the knives and handing the chopping knife to Bulkhead.

"Thanks. Say did you get farther in that book you're reading?" Bulkhead asked as he chopped the carrots. Prowl nodded, cleaning the knives in the sink.

"It's really interesting though I couldn't ignore the noise you were causing in the kitchen earlier. Ratchet would kill you if you woke him up this time of day." He added. As they worked, Sari kept watching with interest. These guys were so different from Bumblebee but they didn't seem violent, except when Bulkhead was chopping the carrots. Her tiny stomach growled at the smell of the soup. Whatever Bulkhead was cooking, it really smelled good. Prowl perked up a bit and turned off the faucet, as if listening for something.

"Prowl, what's-"

"Quiet." Prowl interrupted. "I thought I heard something…" Sari froze. He could really hear her stomach from that far away? Thankfully, he looked like he gave up and just shook his head.

"Must've been my imagination…" Prowl said, though his pensive expression said otherwise.

"If you say so." Bulkhead shrugged as he put the cut-up carrots into the large pot on the stove. Sari smiled, hoping that the soup would help Bumblebee. Speaking of which, she decided to go back the way she came, heading toward Bumblebee's room. She was a skilled Borrower but she was afraid to try and borrow anything when humans were in the room.

* * *

><p>Sari peered into the room and could hear a soft melodic tune. Looking up toward the dresser, she saw that the old music box was playing. Sari smirked. Someone must've turned it on to help Bumblebee get to sleep, which did its magic. He was lying on his back with an open book lying on his stomach. He must've fallen asleep reading something good.<p>

As Sari moved to go see her friend, there was a knock at the door. It wasn't very loud but it was loud enough to wake Bumblebee.

"Come in!" He called. Prowl opened the door as Bulkhead walked inside with a tray holding a bowl of soup, a glass of orange juice, and roll of bread. Bumblebee moved to sit up and set his book to the side before Bulkhead set the tray on his lap.

"I thought that you needed something to eat little buddy." He smiled. Bumblebee's eyes widened when he fully realized what Bulkhead did for him.

"Wow…you made all this?" He asked. Bulkhead was known for making artwork and sculptures out of scrap metal but Bumblebee didn't know he could cook, especially for him.

"Yep!" Bulkhead beamed.

"Make sure you take those as well." Prowl added, pointing to the medicine tablets that were next to the orange juice.

"I will. Thanks guys." Bumblebee said before the two of them walked out. Glad that they were gone for the moment, Sari headed toward Bumblebee's nightstand again, using the tape to climb up the side. It was a little easier than last time to get to the top, since she didn't have to worry about Bumblebee waking up and spotting her.

As Bumblebee ate the soup, he was surprised on how good it tasted. Guess the big lug knew how to cook. The only thing was that some of the food was chopped into large pieces, making it pretty hard to eat all at once. A few of the carrots were cut but not all the way through so they were still connected.

"Definitely made by Bulkhead." Bumblebee laughed. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted something moving. Recognizing the red hair and small figure, Bumblebee smiled and turned to look at Sari.

"Hi Sari." He said, setting down his spoon for a second to reach his hand toward Sari.

"Hey there Bumblebee!" She called up to him, moving gently into his hand. It was nice and warm compared to the slightly chilly room. Bumblebee slowly moved her toward the tray and set her down on the opposite side.

"There. Now I can see you." He smiled before going back to eating, being mindful of his manners. He wouldn't be surprised if Borrowers like Sari were afraid of being eaten by giant humans like him.

Sari looked around the plate, surprised how this was a small meal for Bumblebee. All this food would feed her and her father for at least two months.

"Are you alright?" Bumblebee asked between bites. "You seem a little quiet…"

"Oh I'm fine!" She assured him. "I'm just surprised there's all this food here."

"Well if you're hungry, go ahead and have some!" He said. "I'm definitely not going to be able to eat all this right now."

"Really? Thanks Bumblebee!" Sari said, really taken aback on his offer. When Bumblebee nodded, Sari began to take some pieces of bread and stuffing them into her satchel while Bumblebee had some more soup. When her work was done, she looked over to see the pills next to the glass of juice.

"What are those?" She asked him. He finished his spoonful before answering.

"It's medicine to help me feel better. Prowl's been hounding me to take it because I have a habit of forgetting." He laughed.

"Well take them now so you won't forget." Sari said, a little irritated that Bumblebee would forget something that important.

"Yes ma'am." He teased before taking the medicine and drinking some orange juice to chase it down. Bumblebee cringed.

"I really hate when it nearly gets stuck in my throat…" Bumblebee whined. Sari put her hands on her hips.

"Don't complain if it's going to make you feel better Bumblebee!" She scolded, a smile on her face. Bumblebee pretended to shy away from her.

"Okay mom!" He said before they both started laughing. It was as if they'd been friends forever. The difference in size didn't really matter.

* * *

><p>"So what did you think you hear earlier?" Bulkhead asked, wanting to know if it was something he should be worried about.<p>

"Well it sounded like a low growl." Prowl answered. "Like I said, it was probably nothing. Then again…I have been hearing a lot of small sounds in the house lately. And a few things have gone missing like buttons, pins, sugar, and other small amounts of things."

"You think it could be mice?" Bulkhead questioned, thinking that they might have a mouse problem.

"Well I haven't heard squeaks of mice…it just makes me a little curious as to where those things have gotten to." Prowl said.


	3. Morning Coffee

While Bumblebee and Sari were enjoying their lunch, Prowl continued to read his book in the kitchen, sipping occasionally on a mug of herbal tea. Bulkhead however said something about painting and left to the backyard with several art supplies. Figuring he had some time to himself, Prowl just enjoyed the peace and quiet of reading alone. That is, until he heard sound of someone's shuffled footsteps.

"Morning." Prowl said.

"Yeah yeah." The older man answered. His hair was gray and thinning a little at the top with slightly messy sideburns. He wore a thick white sweater with a red stripe running through the middle with red sweatpants. His typical sleepwear. The things that stood out about him were the scars he had. He had several small ones but the most prominent ones were the jagged scar above his right eyebrow and an even larger one on his left forearm. He never liked to talk about them. Yet as usual, he was having a hard time waking up.

"Did you sleep well Ratchet?" Prowl asked the older man.

"Not really." He answered, getting himself a cup of coffee. "Call me paranoid but I think there's just something off about this house…"

"Like what?"

"Well, I know my eyes aren't what they used to be, but I was just resting my eyes in the armchair the other day and I thought I saw something go around a corner." Ratchet explained.

"What did it look like?" Prowl said, pretty interested.

"That's the strange part. It looked like a small human…" He said, not expecting someone logical like Prowl to believe him.

Oddly enough, Prowl was lost in thought. He picked up his mug and got out of his seat.

"Go ahead and have some breakfast. I'm going to ask Bumblebee something…"

* * *

><p>After their lunch, Bumblebee set the tray on the nightstand while they both lay down on the bed, sharing the pillow.<p>

"So is it so different, being big?" Sari asked, turning to look at Bumblebee, who was staring up at the ceiling.

"Like what?"

"I mean just seeing the world when you're this big. It'd take me forever to get from one side of the room to the other but you can just walk so easily. Is everything outside of this house like that?"

"Well…not exactly." He answered. "There are bigger houses and bigger places so even though I may seem big to you, there's always something out there that makes me feel small. Guess it's all about how you look at everything."

Sari nodded, thinking about there being so many things bigger than Bumblebee and this house. She read some books and saw pictures of them but she never imagined things being that big. Sari looked over toward Bumblebee and saw that his eyes were trying to stay open.

"Are you tired?" She asked. At that, Bumblebee quickly opened his eyes again.

"Just a little. Sorry if I'm falling asleep. The medicine makes me a little dizzy…" He said. As he was fighting to stay awake, Sari laughed a little.

"You don't have to apologize, big guy. Besides, the faster you get better, the more we can play around." She smiled. Bumblebee grinned with a light laugh before letting his eyes close.

"True…" He mumbled into the pillow. Just as he was about to get some sleep, there was a knock at the door. In alarm, Bumblebee's blue eyes shot open. Sari looked around, wondering where she should hide. In the end, Bumblebee covered her with a blanket and held her tightly with his hand, unintentionally pressing him against her chest with his racing heartbeat.

"Come in!" He yelled, feeling Sari squirming around in his hand.

As the door opened, Prowl stood there looking at him.

"I see you're doing better." He said, moving over to feel Bumblebee's forehead. "You're still a little warm though. Did you take your medicine?"

"Yes I did Prowl…" Bumblebee muttered. "Anything else?"

"Well I was wondering, have you seen anything recently? Like stuff being moved around?" Bumblebee knew where this was heading.

"Uh, nope. Not at all." He dismissed. "Why?"

"Just asking." While this conversation was going on, Sari's ears were going to explode. She was a little red in the face being this close but Bumblebee's heartbeat was so loud, it really was giving her a headache. What made it worse was that he didn't understand that this was torture. In the end, Sari bit his finger, making Bumblebee wince. Prowl took notice.

"You alright?" He asked. Bumblebee nodded.

"Just a little stomach pain, that's all…" The blonde answered. Sari soon wiggled free from his grasp and slipped under the sheets. Prowl was a little skeptic but he didn't push further.

"Well anyways, if you're feeling good tomorrow, Bulkhead said he could take you to the park nearby," He answered.

"Prowl, I'm old enough to go by myself!"

"I know but remember the last time you did something rash?"

Bumblebee remembered all that too well. He got up too quickly and ended up falling over, slamming his head on a table. He was out for quite some time thanks to that incident and he still had a slight bump on his head to prove it.

"Fine…" Bumblebee pouted. He hated when he felt like a child. Even though he was the youngest of the group, he wanted to be treated like an equal, not someone who needed to be watched over. Then again, he didn't want to knock himself out and worry Sari. With that, Prowl left the room.

"You okay Sari?" Bumblebee whispered. He saw a little rustle in the blanket and moved them off of her. Gently, he picked her up in his hand and held her in his open palm. "Why did you bite me?"

"I couldn't breathe with you holding me like that!"

"Sorry…Prowl's really good at finding things out. And I don't know what he'll do if he sees you." Bumblebee apologized.

"Yeah. I was in the kitchen the other day while your friend Bulkhead was cooking and he appeared out of nowhere!" Sari admitted. "And I thought he heard me but I don't think he did."

Bumblebee sighed. "That's good but please be careful…I don't want the others to hurt you on accident…"

Sari nodded. "I promise big guy…"

* * *

><p>Prowl was heading back toward his room when he passed by Bumblebee's room. He thought of checking up on him but after Bumblebee's argument earlier of how he didn't want to be treated like a child, he thought against it and headed back to his room.<p>

Good thing for Bumblebee and Sari. The two friends were fast asleep, with Bumblebee's hand covering Sari in a makeshift blanket as she curled up on his chest.


	4. Chamomile Tea

Bumblebee sighed as he finished getting dressed. He chose his signature yellow shirt that had a diagonal black line running through it. His black jeans were a little worn but they weren't dirty. Putting on his black belt and ruffling his hair a little so it was in the way he wanted it, he moved over toward the bed. He and Sari were going to the park to get a little fresh air. Plus, it was a new world of excitement for Sari. She hadn't gone out of the house before.

"Which reminds me…" Bumblebee said to himself. He got over to his dresser drawer and saw a pouch where he kept a few of his trading cards. He emptied out the box and set the cards in the drawer. He'd put them back later. Since Bulkhead was coming along, he figured he could keep Sari in his deck box so she wasn't crammed into his pocket alone. She'd have enough room to lie down and rest if she needed to.

Bumblebee moved over toward the bed, hoping he wouldn't get too dizzy on this little outing. A few minutes later after he got ready, Sari had climbed onto his nightstand, ready to go.

"You sure you got everything?" The blond asked, smiling a bit. Sari had a satchel made out of old thread and a large button. It was a little obvious that Sari packed quite a few things, given the size of her bag with her supplies stuffed inside of it.

"It's to make sure I can protect myself!" Sari said, trying to sound very brave. Bumblebee kept the smile on his face.

"I'm sure, but you know I'll keep an eye on you right?" He said, holding his hand out to her. Sari nodded and stepped on before he brought her up in line with his chest.

Sari wouldn't admit it but Bumblebee seemed…stronger today. She guessed it was because he wasn't lying down on the bed. Plus, he wasn't coughing as much as he usually did. Sari was glad that the medicine was doing the trick.

"Well Sari, Bulkhead has to go with us. Would you mind staying in here until we get there?" He asked, taking out the deck box out of his back pocket and opening it up for her.

"As long as you don't shake me when I'm in there." Sari warned as she went inside the box with a grin. Bumblebee couldn't help but snicker a bit. She was small but she sure knew how to get her point across. He closed the box and put it in his back pocket enough. The box wasn't so tight it didn't allow air inside but it wasn't big enough for everyone to see.

As Bumblebee headed toward the living room, he heard Bulkhead's large footsteps.

"Hey little buddy!" He said cheerfully as he went over to the blonde, ruffling his hair. "Do you mind if we get some breakfast before we go?"

"Not really." He agreed, hoping Sari had eaten before she came.

* * *

><p>As Bumblebee ate his few slices of toast and Bulkhead scarfed down his cereal, a familiar thundering noise came closer to the house before stopping. Sari recognized it but she never knew what exactly it was. Maybe Bumblebee would fill her in later.<p>

"Looks like Optimus is back." Prowl said, coming into the kitchen with his book in hand.

"Yeah. I'm just hope the extra hours he's been working hasn't been taking its toll." Bulkhead frowned. Optimus was part of the local police motor unit. One of his friends on the force caught the cold that Bumblebee caught and Optimus stepped in to help. However, it was a little worrying to everyone else. He usually was kind and temperamental. It would be a shame if that were to change.

Sari waited patiently, unable to see the man walk into the room. She heard his loud footsteps, which lead her to believe that he was wearing some sort of boots. Optimus' brown hair was a bit of a mess from the helmet but it seemed to suit his angular face, giving him a bit of a rugged appearance along with his small sideburns. Even though he looked like someone you wouldn't want to mess with if you crossed his path, his bright blue eyes just made him look caring, like a warrior or an honorable hero.

"Good to see you're up Bumblebee." He said, walking over to ruffle the blond's hair with his leather glove.

"It's good to get out of bed actually." He added before Optimus moved his hand away.

"Can't believe there aren't any other officers that could put more time in so you didn't have to work so much." Ratchet said as he came in from the living room.

"I'm sure they have their own schedules." He answered before stifling a yawn. He set down his helmet in the closet, took off his boots, and headed toward his room.

"I'll see you all in a little bit." Optimus said before heading to his room and closing the door. For the past few days, Optimus would come home so tired, he'd just head to bed as soon as he came home. It was a nice change of pace though. With Bumblebee in bed and Optimus coming home late, the house just began to seem so quiet, which was good for Prowl and Ratchet.

Bulkhead looked outside and saw that the weather was going to be clear and sunny. "Give me a second Bumblebee." He said, excusing himself from the table to go to his room. Bumblebee smirked. Whenever it was a bright day, Bulkhead wanted to get his sketchbook and painting supplies. Prowl closed his book and looked toward Bumblebee.

"You should probably take your medicine before you go." He implored.

"Fine." Bumblebee got out of his chair and went to get the medicine from the cabinet. Prowl raised an eyebrow when he saw Bumblebee had his deck box in his back pocket.

"So are you planning on playing Bulkhead at the park today?

"Huh? Oh yeah!" Bumblebee smiled, trying his best to lie. "Bulkhead said he was going to get his art supplies and cards." Thankfully, Bulkhead was coming down the hall with quite a bit of canvases and an easel. He also had a bag for paintbrushes, paints, and other things he needed. He could keep a deck of his cards in there and Prowl wouldn't know.

"Just know your limits." Prowl said before leaving. Once he was a sufficient distance away, Bumblebee let out a sigh of relief before he went over to Bulkhead and they headed outside.

* * *

><p>They got toward the park and it turned out to be a really good day. The sun was up and it was the perfect day for Bulkhead to start painting. Even though he really looked like a tough guy, he really had a kind heart. He was such a gentle giant, so to speak.<p>

"You feeling alright Bumblebee?" He asked, turning around to the blond, who suddenly perked up as if he missed something.

"Huh? Oh sorry Bulk…did you say something?"

Bulkhead shook his head. "Why don't you wander around for a bit? Meet up with me though when you're done."

Bumblebee nodded and got up to head into the park, slowly moving his deck box out of back pocket and opening it when he was a good distance away from Bulkhead. Seeing something he knew Sari would like, he grinned as he gently tilted the box, letting her slide out onto his hand.

"We're here." Bumblebee said as he set her on his shoulder so she could see.

"Wow…" She said, her breath just taken away. Bumblebee had brought her to a large field of colorful flowers with numerous butterflies and the chirp of birds. She was just completely speechless, it was so beautiful. The sunbeams filtered through the trees and warmed up her face. With a deep sigh to take it in, she turned to Bumblebee.

"Thank you so much for showing me this place…" She said. The blond grinned.

"I thought you would like it." He moved down toward the flowers and moved to sit down. He picked a flower and handed it to her to smell.

"I can take a few of the smaller ones and maybe you can give them to your dad." Bumblebee said, picking a few for her. He remembered her father was sick and he feared he was somewhat responsible if he was the one that spread it to him.

"Really Bumblebee, thank you." She said, putting the flowers in her satchel. Bumblebee couldn't help but get a small blush on his face. He was just glad he could help. There was just something about her that really just made him happy. Bulkhead, Prowl, Optimus, and Ratchet were all his friends, of course. He wouldn't leave them and he was always happy around them but Sari was just…there was just a spark about her. It wasn't love per say. She just made him happy whenever she was happy.


	5. An Apple A Day

The two relaxed out in the flower field for a while, spending almost like an eternity just out under the warm sky. However, Bumblebee felt a tickle in his throat and coughed, his body starting to tremble a bit as he did so. Sari turned to him with worry.

"What's wrong Bumblebee?" She asked, getting up from her spot on the ground. Bee shook his head when he peered back to her before coughing again, this time sounding like he really hacked up something from his throat. The boy groaned, feeling awful.

"Bumblebee?"

He turned around to look at her, smirking a bit to hide the pain from the coughing. "Looks like I'm not feeling as better as I thought I was. Let's get back inside before I cough up a lung again." He said before taking out his deck case, opening it up, and setting it down to let her inside. After she was safely inside, he set the case back into his pocket before getting up, rubbing his throat as he headed back over to where Bulkhead was.

* * *

><p>"A little more blue…maybe some green…" Bulkhead muttered to himself as he was trying to paint the scenery. He was nearly finished and actually quite proud of his work.<p>

"Bulkhead…?"

Turning to the source of the raspy voice, Bulkhead saw Bumblebee looking really out of it.

"What's up little buddy?" Bulkhead asked as he set down his painting supplies, going over and feeling his friend's forehead. It was surprisingly warm and he looked really miserable.

"I should get you back to bed right now." Bulkhead frowned, helping Bumblebee over to a nearby bench to sit down and relax for a while.

"I'll go ahead and pack up my art supplies and then we'll head back to the house…"

"Take your time…" Bumblebee responded with a weak smile, but it was unavoidable. He was starting to cough up mucus and he was feeling overheated and exhausted at the same time. This cold was rebounding, and fast…

* * *

><p>Once they got back to the house, Bumblebee was given time to change into his sleepwear before Ratchet came in to check on him. He felt bad for Sari being in the case for so long but he didn't want her in the open when he was changing…As if his cheeks weren't already red enough from the cold…<p>

He set her down near the hole in the wall where she came from and let her out. "Sari, you're going to have to go back to your father...at least until this cold dies down…"

"No way Bumblebee. You're going to be so bored by yourself…" Sari argued, which earned a laugh from Bumblebee.

"Well if I'm bored, it's probably a good thing. It'll make sure I sleep." Bumblebee smirked. "But just be careful when you're borrowing stuff. I don't know if you and your family are running out…"

"We have enough for a while but I'm worried about you…" Sari frowned, wondering why Bumblebee was acting so lightly about the situation. "It looks like your cold's only getting worse…"

"It's just a cold Sari. It'll pass, but I don't want you getting sick or hurt, so please be careful for me?" He whispered, almost as if he was pleading with her.

Sari stayed quiet for a few moments before sighing. "Alright, but you'd better be sleeping and trying to get better!" At that little threat, Bumblebee couldn't help but laugh.

"Okay, I promise." He said before watching her head on into inside her hole in the wall. He moved a nearby action figure in front of the hole so that no one could plainly see it but Sari could find her way around. After doing that, Bumblebee headed into his bed and suddenly felt very sleepy. These beds were a lot more comfortable than he first gave them credit for…

Three rather loud knocks startled him into opening his eyes. After the near heart attack, Bee sighed, calming himself down. "Come in!" He called before Ratchet entered the room with some medical supplies, along with Prowl who had a bit of food with him in case Bumblebee needed to eat something.

* * *

><p>While Ratchet was checking Bee's temperature and throat, Sari snuck back outside the hole in the wall and hid behind the action figure. She was just scared that there may have been something that she caused unknowingly. Thankfully, there was a rather old human that she saw sometimes who was taking care of him. He looked like he knew what to do, reading off Bee's temperature and asking questions.<p>

After what seemed like forever, Ratchet stood up, taking his stethoscope off after listening to Bee's lungs.

"The cold's getting worse. A sudden fever spike and mucus in your lungs is proof that you're body's exhausting itself to get rid of it." Ratchet said as he turned to Prowl. "Make sure he takes his medicine. I'm putting him on additional medicine to help reduce the amount of phlegm." The dark-dressed adult nodded but got a confused look from Bumblebee.

"Phlegm? What's that?" As if on cue, he grabbed a nearby tissue and started coughing heavily again, ending up spitting into the tissue and wincing.

"That's phlegm. Now eat while I get the medicine." Ratchet said before heading to his room. Bumblebee tossed the tissue into the trash and sighed, feeling ridiculous. Even Sari made a disgusted face at Bumblebee's coughing.

"This should help." Prowl said as he came over with a cup of apple juice and a small plate of vegetables. Bee narrowed his eyes but slowly sat up and began to eat his fill, albeit rather slowly. He didn't want to start coughing and choke. Once he ate enough, Ratchet came back with some additional medicine tablets and handed them to Prowl, who already had the cold medicine that Bee was already prescribed.

"Now take these." Prowl said, letting Bumblebee take the medicine and down them with the apple juice. After grimacing at the taste, he set the plate off to the side and lay back down in bed.

"We should let him rest." Ratchet said to Prowl before heading out of the room, probably going to go take a nap himself. Prowl nodded but stayed just long enough to see if Bee would drift off on his own. He didn't want him to just snap awake after he left just so he can play on his handheld games.

* * *

><p>Sari turned around after seeing Bee go through all of that. She felt a bit bad that Bumblebee had to be put into this kind of state. He really pushed himself really hard. Sari sat down and sighed, feeling pretty tired with herself. Just what was she going to do now? Well, her father was probably worried about something but she didn't want to wake him. He was sick too. Why couldn't she get sick so she could just sleep all day with Bee?<p>

Unfortunately, her thoughts distracted her from the giant hand that came up from above and picked her up. She yelped in surprise and soon saw herself face to face with the tall guy from earlier. A look of horror crossed her face. She should've been more quiet! She shut her eyes and wished she was just at home like Bee told her to…

However, she felt herself being dropped onto a familiar warm surface. She blinked and opened her eyes to see she was in Prowl's hand.

"Fascinating…" The large man seemed to mutter, as if wondering what she was. Sari was shaking a little in fear. Just what was he going to do…? What was SHE going to do?!


End file.
